Michal Rozsival
| birth_place = Vlašim, Czechoslovakia | career_start = 1995 | draft = 105th overall | draft_year = 1996 | draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins | image = Rozsival.png | image_size = 230px }} Michal Rozsival (born on September 3, 1978) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), joining the team in 2012. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers and the Phoenix Coyotes. Playing career Michal was drafted in the fourth round (105th overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. To adjust to North American play, he moved to Canada to play junior hockey with the Swift Current Broncos. Before making his debut with the Penguins, he played for the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League (AHL). He made his NHL debut in the 1999–2000 season. Michal came to the Rangers after the 2004-05 NHL lockout as a free agent. On April 29, 2007, he ended the Rangers' longest home playoff game since 1971 by blasting a shot past Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller at 16:43 of the second overtime period. In the 2007-08 regular season, Michal led all defensemen in shorthanded goals with two. On July 1, 2008, he signed a four-year contract with the Rangers worth $20 million. On February 22, 2009, he switched his jersey number to 33 when former Rangers' player Harry Howell had his number 3 retired. On January 10, 2011, Michal was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Wojtek Wolski. He didn't record any points during the Coyotes' run to the 2012 Western Conference Finals. He was injured on a play just seconds before Dustin Penner's overtime series winner after a hit from Dustin Brown and had to be assisted off the ice. On September 11, 2012, Michal was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year contract. The Blackhawks would win the Stanley Cup during the lockout shortened 2012-13 NHL season, defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Game 6. In Game 1 of that series, he shot a puck that deflected off Dave Bolland and Andrew Shaw into the net for the game-winning triple-overtime goal. Michal was credited with an assist. On July 5, 2013, he signed a two year contract to remain with the Chicago Blackhawks. In the 2014–15 NHL season, Michal recorded one goal and twelve assists over 65 games. He appeared in ten games during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he sustained an ankle injury during the Blackhawks’ second round series against the Minnesota Wild. The injury required surgery and between 12 and 16 weeks of rehabilitation. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup that year and Michal's name was engraved on the cup for a second time. On September 22, 2015, Michal signed a one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks and made his 2015-16 debut for the team on November 14, 2015. In March of 2016, the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominated him for the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy which is awarded annually to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey." At the end of the 2015-16 season, Michal signed another one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. On February 28, 2017, Chicago agreed to extend his contract through the 2017-2018 season. In the Blackhawks’ penultimate 2016–17 regular season game, Nick Ritchie of the Anaheim Ducks punched Michal in the face as retaliation for a cross-check he delivered to Corey Perry. Michal suffered a facial fracture that required surgical repairs. The NHL suspended Ritchie for two games (one regular season and one playoff game) on the basis that Ritchie's punch was unexpected and Michal was not prepared to fight or defend himself. Michal missed the Blackhawks 2016–17 finale and the entire 2017 playoffs due to the injury. He was later diagnosed with post-concussion symptoms and was placed on the Blackhawks long-term disabled list before the 2017-18 NHL season. Career statistics Regular season and playoffs International Accolades Category:1978 births Category:Chicago Blackhawks players Category:New York Rangers players Category:Phoenix Coyotes players Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players Category:Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks Category:Czech ice hockey players Category:Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players Category:Syracuse Crunch players Category:Swift Current Broncos players